A dissertation entitled ‘An investigation into the skin surface temperature changes using ice bag application and local immersion technique at the ankle’ – by Marco Vella – was chosen to be presented at this year’s fourth edition of the European Congress in Liverpool – ‘Advancing physiotherapy: demonstrating value and impact’.

Organised by the European Region World Congress of Physiotherapy, the congress will host over 1,200 physiotherapy professionals and 450 speakers who will be tackling five themes: policy, strategy and influencing; research, education and practice; practice in a digital age; responding to changing population needs; and public health, prevention and social care.

Cryotherapy is the therapeutic application of a substance that has the ability to remove heat from the tissue with which it is in contact, with the resulting decrease in temperature (Herrera, Sandoval, Camargo and Salvini, 2010) and is employed during active inflammatory processes, which are usually present following an acute soft tissue injury.

In his study, Mr Vella sought to compare two commonly used cryotherapy modalities to bring to light any differences in the pattern of skin surface cooling. Seventy-nine participants completed this experimental study, which has shown that the ice bag application is more effective than the local immersion technique in reducing tissue temperature – at least at the surface – and possibly, as a consequence to treat acute injury, whereby reduction in cellular metabolic rate is required to minimise secondary hypoxic injury.

These findings will support clinicians and athletes alike to make informed choices that are evidence-based in the treatment of soft tissue injuries in an area where clinical evidence was scarce.

Mr Vella is a physiotherapist who graduated from the University of Malta in 2015 and has completed this study in part-fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science (Hons) Physiotherapy.

He is currently heading the physiotherapy department at Hilltop Gardens, which offers aquatic and land physiotherapy to both residents and non-residents.